I don't normally blog on topics that are 'hot' and currently happening around the globe. This is not because I don't care or have passion for them, but more because I don't want my blog to become an opinionated rant. And I can be great at being opinionated and ranting if the issue at hand is one I'm passionate about. However, I am crossing those boundaries today to address something that has been bothering me extensively for a while.
Though I'm relatively young, I've lived quite a bit of life in my years. I've seen the history of many places, experienced many cultures, lived in dozens of locations, and befriended numerous ethnicities. My life perspective has been stripped of much of the pride it was inundated with from growing up in my American (or should I say: Texan? ha) bubble. And I wouldn't trade that for anything- it's a rich treasure! But it serves to haunt me when world issues or crises arise, or really when the public becomes aware of their existence.
There's an Instagram feed I follow entitled Humans of NY. I love the photographer's perspective on capturing people, as it is without bias or personal opinion. One of his most recent pictures/stories was of a homeless man begging for change on the street corner. His story was that of riches to rags from being mugged on the street and losing all semblance of health from the attack. The comments really irked me! "Where is this man? I want to help him." And tons of other shocked responses that such a thing could happen to a person, followed by a desire to find this specific man and help him back onto his feet. Feelings of immense frustration filled my heart- he's the guy on the corner that they pass by on the way to work each day. He's the man that petitions them for change as they glare at him for being in their way. He's the one who they've felt tried to con them into giving him 'bus fare to get to my daughter in the hospital.' They've met him before, and they walked away. The reason they don't know his story is because they didn't ask, they didn't listen, and they didn't care. Looking at an impersonal picture on a phone as one sits in the luxury of their comfort zone somehow brings a bravado that is lacking when one walks past him. A desire to 'change the world' and right all the wrongs as long as it just involves one time giving, no relational investment, and no mess to affect their day to day comforts.
Nigeria is a political mess and has been for a really long time. Travel to any major European city (or even some US ones) and many of the women and men being exploited on the streets are from Nigeria. It's a poor and broken country, which has served as fuel for numerous groups to come in, kidnap, and wreck unnameable havoc among the people... all while the West has turned a calloused face away in apathy. But 276 girls all the sudden show up missing and it becomes the world's highest trending topic on social media? How easy it is to click a button, jump on a bandwagon of 'doing something' worthwhile while they surf the net, and then forget about it in a few weeks time. I found this quote off of CNN's website to be a good telltale sign of what people really care about regarding this issue.. themselves! "Just imagine if 276 girls had been kidnapped in the United States. The response would be mass outrage and a forceful demand for a response. As borders become more irrelevant for terrorists, the whole world needs to take notice of the likes of Boko Haram."
Please don't get me wrong- I care deeply for the homeless and the sweet Nigerian girls!! But I also care about lasting change and genuine care of people, not just a political issue people quickly jump on and off. I've known numerous Nigerian people and love their country immensely! I've known numerous homeless people, and almost all have heart wrenching stories. But I get sick of people acting like they care, but the reality is that their money, time, and everything else prove they actually don't. Trafficking is horrific, and a person would've had to been living in a hole to not know how widespread and disgusting it was before these little girls were kidnapped. Homelessness is everywhere one turns, I don't understand how someone could just not know that they are in fact human beings with really sad, hard stories. How I long for people to live life with eyes wide open! To stop going from one social media political high to the next. To pray to have God's heart for the hurting and pain-filled right there in their own cities and across the world. What movement we would see if even just the Church did this!
Okay my political, opinionated rant is done! :)
